Plague

Dewar flask, metal canister similar to the one carried by Dr. Butler. (Credit: LegitReviews.com)

Prof. Thomas Butler, who was indicted in early 2003 of various charges including improperly transporting samples of plague bacteria (Yersinia Pestis) into the United States, was held overnight at the Miami International Airport after TSA agents found a “suspicious” metal canister in his bag, which they thought could be a pipe bomb. After searching for Prof. Butler in a database, officials learned of his past charges associated with plague bacteria. He had been on a teaching assignment in Saudi Arabia, which likely raised another red flag. With this information and a “suspicious” canister, airport officials decided to evacuate a portion of the airport and bring in the bomb squad.

Hellebore flowers. Credit: SiGarb 21:59, 28 March 2006 (UTC)

While most people today think of biological weapons as a relatively modern advancement, it is important to recognize that their existence predates recorded human history. Ancient civilizations had a working knowledge of plant and animal toxins, as well as of devastating diseases such as plague and smallpox.  While these people had yet to discover the origins of such diseases, they were aware of how diseases could spread from one person or animal to another.

Septic Infection (Credit: CDC)

Instead of strictly offensive measures (e.g. antivirals, antibiotics, and siRNA treatments), scientists are developing ways to improve our own natural defense against pathogens, our immune system.  This can be done both by enhancing immune function and preventing immune overreactions.

Enhancing the Immune System
A study released last month found a way to protect mice from deadly doses of Yersinia pestis (plague), Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis), Brucella abortus (brucellosis), and Francisella tularensis (tularemia).  All of these agents are Select Agents and possible bioweapons agents.  Researchers from a branch of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) branch in Montana were able confer this protection by enhancing the immune response in mice, priming it to fight an infection. 

This weekend it was reported that 2 mice infected with Yersinia pestis, the causitive agent of plague, were missing from a lab at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). In September 2005 it was also reported that 3 live mice infected with Y. pestis were missing from UMDNJ a lab. In this case however, the “missing mice” are actually the carcasses of mice who died during an experiment, were bagged and placed in a freezer for storage until the experiment was completed and they could be incinerated. It is believed that the missing bag of mice was accidentally sterilized along with another bag.

In both cases the FBI investigated and determined that there was no public health risk.

The Federation of American Scientists has added a fifth Case Study to our Dual-Use Research education series. This new case study focuses on the work of Dr. Stuart Levy of Tufts University School of Medicine in antibiotic resistance. Dr. Levy is also a member of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB).

Dr. Levy’s lab identified a gene in Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, that was similar to an E. coli multiple antibiotic resistance gene. A non-virulent strain of Y. pestis overexpressing the gene was resistant to several common antibiotics, including those typically used to treat plague infection. The case study includes a history of antibiotics and resistance, a description of the experiments as well as an in-depth interview with Dr. Levy discussing the work, its implications, and his perspectives on dual-use research. Dr. Levy is also one of the members of the NSABB, which is involved in developing strategies for oversight of dual-use research.

FAS is has also launched a survey for the case studies. To thank participants for completing the survey, we will enter them into a drawing for an 8GB iPod nano. Click here to go to the case studies or here to go directly to the survey. The survey is open through May 31, 2007.

The first four case studies include an introduction to biosecurity, the poliovirus synthesis experiments conducted in Eckard Wimmer’s laboratory at the State University of New York at Stony Brook; the porous particle development work of David Edwards at Harvard University; and the mousepox experiments conducted by two Australian researchers, Ron Jackson and Ian Ramshaw.